Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Discrimination patterns on metal detectors with screens.

I am often contacted by people who ask me if I could send them the discrimination pattern and settings I use on the Minelab CTX 3030. 
My basic starting point for a discrimination pattern to use on a trashy tourist beach is normally a cropped down version of the preset Beach Mode.
The basic starting point for a beach where I have a chance of finding old shipwreck coins and artifacts is a blank screen, or Pattern 2 of the preset Beach Mode.
From these two basic starting point patterns, I tweak my control settings to suit the conditions present, or the size search coil and targets I am looking for. 
I have no "Gary's Beach pattern"  because I do not think it is a good idea to pass around discrimination patterns and settings to people who search very different beaches all over the world. 
Earlier in the year I was talking at at a couple of metal detecting events, I was approached by a few CTX 3030 users who showed me discrimination patterns on their CTXs, down loaded from UK and US detecting forums. 
Some of their discrimination patterns were shockingly shaded out screens for US east coast tourist beaches.  
The heavily shaded out discrimination patterns, certainly explained why these CTX 3030 users were struggling to find gold and silver jewelry. 
I edited the heavily shaded out search patterns and gave control settings advice, hopefully helping the CTX 3030 users to see the benefits of testing targets and using moderate amounts of discrimination. 
If you are using a metal detector with a screen, it is always best to try the recommended preset discrimination patterns, but to test targets and create a safety non shaded area so you do not miss valuable targets close to shaded out areas. 
The easiest way of doing that without testing targets at the beach, is to trim the preset discrimination patterns, but you cannot beat actually testing the pattern by using a variety of the targets you are searching for. 
I see two very different views of beach and shallow water hunting, those in the dig it all camp and people who prefer to use discrimination. 
In my opinion, there are many different ways of using a metal detector with a screen, that is the beauty of  using a smart metal detector. 
You make the decisions and you can change the way a metal detector with a screen is used.
Just like the screen shot below, my normal response to questions about discrimination patterns is there is no one way, just your way and what works best for you on the beaches you metal detect on. 








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